Bringing Home Baja Art

Mexican art and crafts have always been a favorite in the States especially among collectors and art enthusiasts because of their novelty and fine craftsmanship. Thus it is not surprising to find dozens upon dozens of art and furniture stores in Baja California's neighboring city of San Diego. Although it is quite convenient to have authentic Mexican art and craft stores within the very city that you live in, the problem with this is that most of these stores sell their products at very expensive rates. Whereas if you drive just a few minutes south of the border to Baja California, you would find these very same Mexican artworks and more at prices more than 50% lower than those in San Diego or LA.

The wonderful, not to mention money-saving, Baja shopping experience is one of the main reasons why millions of tourists and visitors flock to the peninsula of Baja California all throughout the year. Since all you need to cross the border to Tijuana, Baja California is your passport and an ID with a photo, entering Baja for a vacation or shopping trip is hassle free and fast. You can even go to Baja to shop and then drive back again to the States in the same day which is what many commuting laborers and entrepreneurs do on a daily basis.

Tijuana and Mexicali would be your first stop in coming from San Diego to Baja, and both of these Baja cities are home to plenty of art exhibits, galleries and museums. Many of these Tijuana and Mexicali museums and galleries do not just showcase the talents of local artists but they also sell or auction-off Baja masterpieces. For Tijuana shopping, you have to try the famous Avenida Revolucion is lined with all its stores, stalls and kiosks selling anything from beautifully crafted silver sculptures to colorful oil paintings of fiestas and churches.

Rosarito and Ensenada are also known as cultural centers of Baja, thus many artists and craftspeople from all over the world become attracted to these cultural city centers. Galeria del Mar is one of the more popular art galleries in Rosarito and they feature hundreds of works of Latin American and Mexican artists. You would be surprised to see sold in this Rosarito art gallery artworks whose prices are less than half of those sold in US stores. Other popular art, furniture and craft stores in Ensenada and Rosarito include Alex Curio Shop and Curios Medrano while Bazaar del Convento and Bazaar Casa Ramirez are favorite bazaars and markets.

Leaving Baja to return to San Diego is just as easy. After a quick stop-over at customs in the international border crossing points, and assuming you are not bringing back exotic plants, fruits or illegal drugs, then you are all set to cross the border again this time bearing several bargain art and crafts from Baja California.